Gloria Wiggins

As a volunteer with the American Red Cross of Northwest Florida, I admire the fight in people who have had sometimes all and everything taken from them due to incidents, weather and other unusual acts of nature at some points in our lives. Disappointments range from little to very huge and there is fear of more uncontrollable events roaming in our daily lives.

Beginning with Hurricane Andrew, I was a victim of a violent storm and needed answers. Assistance was something to get used too. But today, when I step out to take part in helping my community, I feel proud, with the ability to function and help others.

It is just bringing people the small comfort of a daily use of things like water, ice and food. No electricity isn’t such fun when it’s hot and no ability to perform laundry and prepare a meal. Boiling water to cook and drink was not as easy to do when it’s an custom just reaching for it. Imagine ice, to keep food from spoiling and then it’s useless, the refrigerator is warm, so now all the food have to thrown away.

In Florida’€™s Hurricane Alley, we expect some type of weather from to much rain to less, and other wind disturbance. But disasters don’€™t just happen in my neck of the woods. I have also traveled to Kentucky for an ice storm, for the Sandy and Irene hurricanes that tore up New York and New Jersey. For flooding in Texas, tornadoes in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Katrina in Louisiana.

All this I performed as a call to duty as either manager of the shelter or working as anything to help get a community striving back on its feet. Providing a little conversation or just there to listen. Making a nightmare ease away with help from someone who is there to support the recovery of a part of this country and get a community moving again.

I’m proud as an American to be volunteering for the American Red Cross. If you have time to share your hours near home or other areas in need of help, go ahead and try doing something for somebody. If time is a problem, maybe donate books or coloring supplies for the children, or money to the organization to relieve the need not just for clothing or furniture, but maybe a new place to relocate.

You will be surprised how you feel after you could be there for someone you don’t know, don’t have a clue who you are serving, but get that amazing feeling, as you pay it forward.